In Bologna, as part of the Salone internazionale del biologico e del naturale, the états généraux of organic took place, concluding with the presentation of the Manifesto bio 2030, under the banner of transparency and innovation.
The thirty-first edition of Sana, Salone internazionale del biologico e del naturale, in Bologna from 6 to 9 September 2019, opened with the presentation of the Manifesto bio 2030, an important moment of dialogue that represents the natural conclusion of the états généraux of organic, an initiative that in this its first edition was entitled Dalla rivoluzione verde alla rivoluzione bio.
Rivoluzione bio was a two-day event held on 5 and 6 September at the Palazzo dei Congressi of the Bologna trade fair complex, which saw a great many guests take to the stage in high-level exchanges, called upon to outline strategic choices for the future of agriculture.
Promoted by BolognaFiere in collaboration with FederBio and AssoBio, with the support of ITA, italian trade agency, and organised by Nomisma, the event aimed to stimulate in-depth reflection on the role of organic in Italian agriculture, as well as on its correlation with essential factors such as biodiversity, water protection and climate change.
From the niche sector it once was, organic has grown increasingly important in recent years: in Italy as in the rest of the world the number of producers is rising, consumers are ever more aware of the benefits of organic products, and legislators are paying greater attention. In a context of strong dynamism such as this, it is essential to take stock of the situation and identify the goals to aim for in the near future. The états généraux of organic were created with precisely this objective in mind. On the first day, topics of fundamental importance for the future of organic farming were addressed through a multidisciplinary approach, while on the second day the fruit of continuous dialogue between the leading institutions and national and international players in the organic supply chain was presented: the Manifesto bio 2030.
A manifesto to chart the future of organic from now until 2030, "presented thanks to the collaboration and consultation of many experts and stakeholders", as Professor Angelo Frascarelli, president of the Advisory Board, said during the presentation. A necessary document to underline the importance of organic for society and for the production of public goods, and to reaffirm the role of agriculture in policy. Ten points setting out a true programmatic plan to support policy assessments and to seize the challenges and opportunities of the organic sector. Finally, an "open" text that will be supplemented with the reflections and ideas that emerged during the two days of debates at Rivoluzione bio, demonstrating the strongly constructive character of these états généraux.
The first point of the manifesto could only be dedicated to the objectives that currently unite society and politics as a whole, namely those linked to the so-called climate challenge. The organic agricultural model, by its very nature, counts among its objectives the improvement of soil, the protection of biodiversity and water, and animal welfare — all elements that contribute to combating climate change and making agriculture more resilient. The progressive transition to the organic model is therefore one of the paths to follow in order to increase the likelihood of achieving, by 2030, the United Nations' seventeen sustainable development goals.
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But the manifesto goes on to touch on specific points such as the consolidation of the distinctive elements of organic throughout the entire product life cycle and the strengthening of standards and the control system, as well as traceability and transparency, also thanks to the introduction of digital labels. Rigour is also discussed in relation to organic seeds, another major theme of the manifesto, the production of which must be stimulated so as to encourage their use. A separate section is dedicated to livestock farming, which is seen as a strategic frontier for organic agriculture and as a great opportunity for our country, given that certain Italian areas, such as the Alpine and Apennine arc, can be protected from depopulation precisely through livestock farming. Particular attention is then given to innovation and the digital revolution, which can be applied in an exemplary manner to organic agriculture in relation to biocontrol, forecasting models, research into genetic improvement (which is not directly and exclusively connected to genome interventions) and the use of precision machinery and sensor technology.
Within the manifesto, organic agriculture is identified as a genuine territorial development model that guarantees rural development, a circular economy and ecosystem services, and its role is reaffirmed through the key concept of "organic districts", which represent an element of territorial differentiation that requires recognition within rural development policies through national legislation that, to date, does not yet exist.
The final point of the manifesto is entirely dedicated to consumer communication, a crucial topic because it is underexploited in our country, yet of fundamental importance given that the success of organic in Italy is determined precisely by the consumer, who must be informed in order to make informed choices. Communication that must convey the values of the short supply chain, the transparency of the sector and also the mechanisms by which prices are formed. Communication that takes the form of widespread food education aimed at all consumers, but with particular attention to the world of schools, to introduce even the youngest to the value of organic.
